Local school makes animal rescue pouches for Australia

NEWRY, BLAIR COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Australia is dealing with some of the worst brush fires they have ever seen.

The destruction has not only been devastating for the people, but also the animals. That’s why students, teachers and parents at St. Patrick School in Newry are stepping up to help.

Volunteers have been taking old shirts and transforming them into pouches for the injured animals in Australia.

“If they don’t have the warmth of their mothers belly and then they’ve lost fur from the fires, they have lost a lot of what keeps them alive,” Kathy Imler, a teacher at St. Patrick School, said. “They need this warmth of something to help.”

Patricia Troutwein, or Grandma Patty as the kids call her, used to have her own dress shop. Now she’s teaching her love for sewing to kids who have never used a needle and thread.

“We said they use 30 [pouches] a day,” Troutwein said. “So I try and explain it’s like wearing diapers. A baby has to be changed and kept dry all the time.”

We’re told the goal is to try and make as many animal rescue pouches as possible.

“Pre-K through 8th grade they know the situation that Australia is in and what the needs are and what we’re doing here,” Imler said.

The group will be working on this project for the next couple of weeks.

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